KOTA KINABALU: City Hall Advisory Board member and architect Tan Young has urged Sabah to rethink flood solutions by integrating underground stormwater detention systems beneath open spaces such as parks, sports courts, and parking lots.
“Flooding is no longer a seasonal nuisance but a pressing urban challenge. By embedding detention systems beneath community spaces, we turn single-use land into multi-functional assets — recreation above ground and flood protection below,” he said.
Tan called for pilot projects in flood-prone areas like Kota Kinabalu, Donggongon and Inanam, stressing that the cost of inaction will be far greater than the cost of innovation.